Whether you’re conducting a Google search or filling out a survey online, individuals and companies alike are collecting and storing increasingly huge sets of data online. As the number of available data increases, it becomes more challenging to be able to locate specific information within those sets. Thankfully, professionals who work with data can use SQL to help them in their work. An abbreviation for Structured Query Language, SQL is a computer programming language that communicates with, edits, and adds information to databases.
One profession that regularly uses SQL is a Data Scientist. These professionals analyze the raw data produced by an organization to improve processes or answer important questions. They also work to synthesize data and communicate their findings to critical stakeholders so the company can feel confident about their decisions and how they’ve chosen to invest their money. Let’s discuss more how SQL works and what makes it an ideal tool for Data Scientists.
Basics of SQL and Data Science
To understand how SQL can be used to make data science more efficient, it’s important to understand the broad strokes of each concept individually.
Data scientists typically work with data that can be categorized in two different ways—public and private. Public data is easy to locate for anybody who requires access to it. This information can come from places like social media pages, job postings, and press releases. Private data is only accessed with permission and usually contains sensitive information like social security numbers and banking information. For these reasons, data scientists usually have skills in cybersecurity as well.
Data science can be applied to nearly every industry and is beneficial when making crucial decisions that have the potential to impact entire communities. For instance, data science software is often used to predict the likelihood of recidivism in populations of violent criminal offenders. It can also be used in healthcare to predict the spread of communicable diseases. Additionally, data science tools are being developed to help identify more aggressive types of cancer in their earlier stages.
SQL is a computer programming language that allows users to quickly sift through large amounts of data to access the information they require. Out of hundreds of computer programming languages, most of them can be described as “procedural.” This means that the user inputs a command that tells the computer what to do or how it needs to be done. On the other hand, SQL has nonprocedural capabilities; users can tell the language what needs to be done and SQL will intuitively figure out how to complete the process. To use SQL, users simply complete a command and SQL will pull any data that matches the conditions of the request.
Why do Data Scientists Love SQL?
There are many reasons that Data Scientists enjoy using SQL when completing their work. First, it’s a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the data you’re working with. The language helps quickly identify any outlier or duplicate data and there are plenty of tools that enable you to learn more about what your data looks like overall. You can use SQL to perform all kinds of queries about how your data is distributed.
SQL is also an ideal tool when working with large amounts of data, as Data Scientists regularly do. SQL is so ubiquitous in the data science world that it can be tough to find a career in this industry that doesn’t require some level of proficiency in SQL. In short, it’s a very marketable skill that can translate to a wide range of data-driven careers, even if data science isn’t where you end up.
The language is also relatively easy to learn and understand. SQL uses simple English syntax to make commands like INSERT or FIND. This simplicity is another thing that makes SQL one of the best choices for training new employees so businesses can quickly learn more about making their processes more efficient.
Learn SQL With Career Centers
If you’d like to learn more about SQL, you can check out the SQL Training Classes available at Career Centers. Classes can be taken in-person at its New York City campus or live online from anywhere in the world. Career Centers also offers free retakes within one year so students can get the most out of their education and feel confident with their new skills.
For those who cannot commit to a lengthier program, Career Centers has a Level I, Level II, and a Level III course available in SQL. Each course only lasts for eight hours and can be taken on weekdays, evenings, or weekends to accommodate your schedule. Level I is geared toward beginners while Levels II and III require completion of the previous course before registration. If you'd like to learn the information in all three of these courses at once, Career Centers’ SQL Bootcamp may be the best option for you. This three-day class covers the same material, just at a reduced cost.
If you’re interested in learning more about data science, Career Centers has several data science classes available as well. Most notably, the school offers a Data Science Certificate as part of its programming. The program, which lasts for two months full-time or eight months part-time, covers Python for data science, machine learning, and automation. It culminates in a portfolio of various projects that students can display for future hiring managers as they start their careers.